California ABC Agents Assist Redding PD in Quality of Life Sweep

REDDING – On February 19, 2019, California Alcoholic Beverage Control agents joined the Anderson Police Department and the Shasta County District Attorney’s Office in assisting Redding Police with a “Quality of Life” enforcement effort. The effort targeted areas in which the Redding Police Department had received many complaints about problems association with illegal camping. Officers and agents spent the day proactively patrolling the areas of Downtown, Hilltop Drive, Parkview Riverfront Park, Caldwell Park, and the Sacramento River Trail. The enforcement resulted in officers contacting more than 130 people, issuing 37 Redding Municipal Code citations, making seven warrant arrests, and removing more than 7,500 pounds of garbage.

In October of 2018, the Redding Municipal Code for camping on public and private property was suspended due to a court case decision in Idaho (Marin v. Boise). Once suspended, the Redding Police Department could no longer enforce the camping ordinance which resulted in an immediate increase of camps throughout the city limits. Although officers were unable to enforce the camping ordinance, they still gathered the complaints filed by citizens online and responded to each location to help provide individuals with resources such as Hill Country Clinic and the Good News Rescue Mission. The Redding Police Department’s Community Cleanup Crews also continued to work diligently to keep the camps clean by removing thousands of pounds of excess trash and debris.

Since the suspension, City of Redding officials worked on a new camping ordinance which conformed to current case law. The new camping ordinance was approved by City Council and went into effect February 16th, 2019.

In a Redding Police Department press release, the Redding Police Department thanked the agencies who assisted them and the citizens of Redding who continue to use the online reporting system to notify police of illegal camps in their area.